I would make sure I had a packing puller and packing. The puller works well for a substitute as a cork screw.

Also a few larger inner tubes, for the rubber, and pipe clamps.

I would add some basic electrical tools and parts (eg. extra wire) or at least a way to test for continuity.

Also, if you opt for one of those multi-headed screwdrivers, get a duplicate set of heads. They don't always last that long, are easy to lose and a back-up set is small.

I like the inventory and get what you need approach for wrenches and sockets. Crescent wrenches or (shudder) vise grips are ok a lot of times but sometimes you just have to have a reasonable quality wrench or socket in the right size or you can make things oh so much worse. This also implies getting decent quality stuff. Snap On is probably overkill but don't go much lower than Craftsman. I would tend to get mostly combo wrenches and 3/8 drive sockets unless you have a specific needs for something else.

Same is true for screw drivers and other tools since on a boat the last thing you want to do is make a small problem a bigger one by rounding or stripping something. Especially if the "walk" back to the store will require holding your breath for more than a couple of minutes.

- Eric

Here's my short-list of the best of the best overall tool manufacturers in the world (in order of quality):

1) Baumann (Swiss)
2) Felo (German)
3) Snap-On (USA)
4) Wiha (industrial grade German)
5) C.K. (ceka-Swiss)

Specialty:

6) Brownells (USA)
7) Facom (mini-tools)

Any comments would be appreciated.

Who is the primary maker of the tools at the Ferrari factory? Rolls-Royce Motors?

I've seen pictures of the Ferrari factory where they are using USAG tools.

Due to my constant murphy state when working on things, my best tool source ends up being Crescent. LOL

Nice list, unfortunately I really can't afford to play at that level (well not and keep my other toys). Craftsman is good enough for a lot of basic mechanical jobs but I tend to prefer stepping up to at least Blackhawk (now known as Stanley ProTools) for some of the basics. I have some SnapOn and SK around also.

I have a lot of friends who swear by Craftsman with the statement it is good enough for NASCAR. Of course, nearly anything is good enough when you are working with barely worn, clean parts or you can afford the use vice grips and toss the blasted nut or bolt once it is out. These same friends are always shocked when they are done rounding or stripping something out (the joy of old, used, abused parts). Tolerances and design/finish make a big difference in tools and there is a reason that most of the guys getting paid to work on the family car use something better than Craftsman.

Used carefully you can usually get by with a crescent wrench, but then again used carefully you can usually get by with a folding knife. Sometimes you need the right tool for the job.

- Eric

Believe it or not, I was at a friends house, and had to do some work, and was impressed by the wrenches he had (a flex head ratchiting combo wrench) - fit and finsh nearly at the Snap-on level - say slightly better than Matco. I aked him where he got them. LOWES house brand!! Went out and bought a few (I must own 5-6 7/16, 1/2 and 9/16 wrenches - at least those 3 in every toolbox)

RE worn out old nuts/bolts etc. Something I learned way too late (like near the time I stopped messing with cars), I don't deal with old worn out bolts etc. If I'm doing a project, part of the budget is "New hardware". Say I'm doing drum brakes - not only will I buy new pads, but I figure every other time or so, the cylinders, adjusters, hoses, etc will get replaced (or overhauled at worst) - hardware goes in a parts cleaner, gets wire brushed, inspected, and if questionable, replaced

Doesn't hurt that Dad was a HVAC mechanic and collected more hardware than you can shake a stick at, and when I sorted it all, I made a list of "what is low" - and when I have to place an order with MSC/ENCO/McMaster etc, I'll pad out the order to either the minimum/free shipping/etc amounts by looking at the list and saying "Oh, throw in a box of N sized hardware"

I probably own a greater selection of 1/4" and down hardware than the average well stocked hardware store - stainless, Black Oxide, various lengths, head styles etc. Can't tell you how many times a neighbor will come over on a Sunday, hand me a screw, and say "you have something like this?" - I'd say 70% of the time I have an exact replacement, and another 20% I might have "well, I don't have it in bright steel, but I have it in oxide" Or "I don't have slot head, but I do have phillips (or hex or torx)", and I ask how many is in the set, and we replace them ALL, so they all match (reminds me, I have to order another box of stainless socket head cap screws)

One REALLY smart thing to do, if you do any mechanical work (and if you have some room on the boat) - go out and buy some "hardware assortments" - don't go for those ones "in the bins" the advertize in the backs of magazines - usually low quality and the "wrong stuff". Go to a place like MSC or McMaster, and order stuff

Start with catalog page
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=1791
and work through pages in that area - say pages 2000 through 2009

If you want better grade, buy the American brands - Holochrome etc (usually not available in the assortment)

Another good source I found, but it's been years since I bought - every once in a while, back when ebay was small enough that you could actually look through ever listing in hardware every day, I'd find someone selling "drops" Hardware that was accidently dropped on the floor at some big plant or hardware Mfg. It actually doesn't pay for them to sit down and sort them, so they will get thrown in big mixed bins and sold - I was buying what would have been mil-spec stainless hardware, 1/4" and down by the pound, I think I bought 5-6 lbs. I spend a lot of time when I had time to kill sorting the hardware - I'd walk around with a bunch of zip lock bags, and "gee, I have to wait for the MD, lets sort some screws" etc

Another good one - if you know a good mechanic who travels the road - see if hell let you raid his "Hell Box". Usually a box of misc hardware, screws, everything, that he tends to pick up. They tend to just throw spares in there. One of my chores when Dad was working was to (every couple of months) Sort the box, and put things away "Misc 3/8" bolts", Misc fuses, Wire Nuts, etc etc

Another one - I rarely throw out mechanical "stuff" without stripping it. I can't tell you how many bearings from hard drives (GOOD Magnets), small screws etc I've gotten that way

Somewhere I read that those lowes tools are made at the same factory as snap on and maybe even the same assembly line.

I tend to keep small parts too. Just scrapped an epson printer that as given to me, even if I fixed it since it was an epson it was going to be useless since I don;t print often enough to prevent the clogging issue so its parts got sorted into the gears, motors, screws buckets.

Just remember what ever you buy, you said your on a boat and you will need tools you can depend on in an emergency. So what ever your selection is, remember to get quality and durability, stranded out at sea with heavy waves pounding you trying to get a engine back up sucks and sometimes every moment can count. It's like taking a spot or an ACR plb with you 100 miles out in the ocean, which one has the best chance to get you home. Cost Vs Reliability.